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Leveraging socio-ecological resilience theory to build climate resilience in transport infrastructure

Author

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  • Samantha Hayes
  • Cheryl Desha
  • Matthew Burke
  • Mark Gibbs
  • Mikhail Chester

Abstract

Anthropogenic climate change poses risks to transport infrastructure that include disrupted operations, reduced lifespan and increased reconstruction and maintenance costs. Efforts to decrease the vulnerability of transport networks have been largely limited to understanding projected risks through governance and administrative efforts. Where physical adaptation measures have been implemented, these have typically aligned with a traditional “engineering resilience” approach of increasing the strength and rigidity of assets to withstand the impacts of climate change and maintain a stable operating state. Such systems have limited agility and are susceptible to failure from “surprise events”. Addressing these limitations, this paper considers an alternate approach to resilience, inspired by natural ecosystems that sense conditions in real-time, embrace multi-functionality and evolve in response to changing environmental conditions. Such systems embrace and thrive on unpredictability and instability. This paper synthesises key literature in climate adaptation and socio-ecological resilience theory to propose a shift in paradigm for transport infrastructure design, construction and operation, towards engineered systems that can transform, evolve and internally manage vulnerability. The authors discuss the opportunity for biomimicry (innovation inspired by nature) as an enabling discipline for supporting resilient and regenerative infrastructure, introducing three potential tools and frameworks. The authors conclude the importance of leveraging socio-ecological resilience theory, building on the achievements in engineering resilience over the past century. These findings have immediate practical applications in redefining resilience approaches for new transport infrastructure projects and transport infrastructure renewal.

Suggested Citation

  • Samantha Hayes & Cheryl Desha & Matthew Burke & Mark Gibbs & Mikhail Chester, 2019. "Leveraging socio-ecological resilience theory to build climate resilience in transport infrastructure," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(5), pages 677-699, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:transr:v:39:y:2019:i:5:p:677-699
    DOI: 10.1080/01441647.2019.1612480
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Charani Shandiz, Saeid & Foliente, Greg & Rismanchi, Behzad & Wachtel, Amanda & Jeffers, Robert F., 2020. "Resilience framework and metrics for energy master planning of communities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    2. Mikhail Chester & Mounir El Asmar & Samantha Hayes & Cheryl Desha, 2021. "Post-Disaster Infrastructure Delivery for Resilience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Alexandra Sadler & Nicola Ranger & Sam Fankhauser & Fulvia Marotta & Brian O’Callaghan, 2024. "The impact of COVID-19 fiscal spending on climate change adaptation and resilience," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 7(3), pages 270-281, March.
    4. Hayes, Samantha & Desha, Cheryl & Baumeister, Dayna, 2020. "Learning from nature – Biomimicry innovation to support infrastructure sustainability and resilience," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    5. Riffat Mahmood & Li Zhang & Guoqing Li & Munshi Khaledur Rahman, 2022. "Geo-based model of intrinsic resilience to climate change: an approach to nature-based solution," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(10), pages 11969-11990, October.
    6. Savindi Caldera & Sherif Mostafa & Cheryl Desha & Sherif Mohamed, 2021. "Exploring the Role of Digital Infrastructure Asset Management Tools for Resilient Linear Infrastructure Outcomes in Cities and Towns: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-25, October.
    7. Yu-Jie Huang & Shuo Cheng & Fu-Qiang Yang & Chao Chen, 2022. "Analysis and Visualization of Research on Resilient Cities and Communities Based on VOSviewer," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-14, June.
    8. George Atisa & Alexis E. Racelis, 2022. "Analysis of Urbanization and Climate Change Effects on Community Resilience in the Rio Grande Valley, South Texas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-15, July.
    9. Khan, Huda & Ozkan, Kubilay S.L. & Deligonul, Seyda & Cavusgil, Erin, 2024. "Redefining the organizational resilience construct using a frame based methodology: A new perspective from the ecology based approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).

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